Southampton's $25.8 million plan to buy and raze oceanfront mansion, create beach access

Southampton Town plans to buy an oceanfront mansion in one of the Hamptons’ most expensive neighborhoods for $25.8 million, then demolish it to create public beach access.

If the sale goes through, the town would raze the three-story, 11-bedroom luxury home and in-ground pool that sit on 2.2 acres on Meadow Lane.

Southampton would remediate the property to protect its maritime dune habitat, said Jacqueline Fenlon, director of the town's Community Preservation Fund. The town would look to create a public beach access point there using the property’s 172 linear feet of ocean frontage, she said.

The planned sale is part of an overall effort to expand beach access in an exclusive part of town and preserve more waterfront property from environmental threats, officials said.

At $11.7 million per acre, the land would be the most valuable the town has bought using the Community Preservation Fund, which generates revenue from a 2% real estate tax. According to town records, it would be the town's second-largest purchase using CPF money. In 2023, the town paid $30 million to buy and preserve 27.3 acres of farmland in Bridgehampton.

Southampton has an agreement with the seller to buy the property, but the town board needs to authorize the sale, Fenlon said. A hearing on the purchase is scheduled for Tuesday.

Fenlon said the property is a “rare opportunity to be able to preserve such pristine ocean frontage.”

“We have been trying to, throughout the town, prioritize coastal properties for coastal resiliency practices, habitat restoration and habitat preservation,” Fenlon said. 

The home on Meadow Lane, with views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Shinnecock Bay, is one of the most expensive in the Hamptons. At the west end of the road is Southampton Village’s public heliport, which many wealthy residents use to fly to and from New York City.

Town appraised site

The property is owned by Frances Katz, according to Suffolk County property records. The home was listed for $27 million earlier this year by luxury real estate agent Tim Davis of the Corcoran Group. Davis declined Newsday’s request for comment. According to Zillow, the property was last listed for sale in February 2021, at $24,995,000, before the price tag was cut by $500,000 in June of that year. By November 2021, the listing was removed, according to Zillow.

The property's tax bill in 2024-25 was $53,510, which shows a "full value" of $27.5 million, according to Southampton Town records.

Fenlon said the town conducted two appraisals of the property, which "supported" the tentative sale price. She declined to share the appraisal amounts, saying it's against town board policy.

The Zillow listing describes "a captivating modern residence in beautiful condition with wide frontage and surf break views."

It advertises "a stunning foyer featuring an elegant staircase." The listing markets a "luxurious primary retreat, complete with its own staircase and breathtaking ocean views from a private terrace."

Guests, the listing notes, can "enjoy the stunning Shinnecock Bay vistas and experience a five-star resort atmosphere." There is also a "long private boardwalk" extending to the Atlantic, plus an expansive section of protected land that affords privacy. 

'Long-term public cost'

Fenlon said the purchase is a rare opportunity to preserve shoreline properties. 

The town has also preserved several oceanfront properties in Hampton Bays, Westhampton Beach and Quogue along Dune Road, the thin barrier island strip where there are many luxury homes, Fenlon said.

Supervisor Maria Moore, in a text message, said the town is "eager to complete this purchase to preserve beach access for our town residents."

The demolition of the home and pool w ould  be paid for through the Community Preservation Fund, although the cost of that work won’t be known until the sale is completed, Fenlon said.

Bob DeLuca, president of the nonprofit environmental advocacy organization Group for the East End, praised the town’s targeting of shoreline properties vulnerable to sea-level rise.

“I think when you can get an oceanfront piece of property, you're offsetting a long-term public cost. You're offsetting the human risk of people residing in areas like this,” DeLuca said.

The purchase will provide “public access in an area that's increasingly devoid of access,” he added. He noted that dune habitats are home to rare species such as snowy owls and short-eared owls.

“It definitely has a habitat value. It definitely has a public safety value and it has a public access value,” DeLuca said.

Mayor Bill Manger of Southampton Village, which owns neighboring vacant properties, also supports the sale.

"Anytime we can preserve some open space on the ocean front is fantastic," he said in a phone interview.

The Community Preservation Fund can be used to purchase properties for several purposes, including open space, farmland, parkland and nature preserves. From January to October 2025, real estate taxes generated more than $69 million for Southampton Town’s fund, according to recent data provided by the office of Assemb. Tommy John Schiavoni (D-Sag Harbor).

Southampton historically has generated the most of all the five East End towns that participate in the regional program, which was created by state law and approved by voters in 1998.